The Philippines reported a sharp 50 percent increase in meat imports in January from a year earlier, according to the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI). The country imported 137.9 million kilograms of meat during the month, a significant jump from the 92.02 million kilograms in January 2024.
This surge reflects a shift in consumer preference and challenges in the domestic meat production sector. Notably, pork, which made up 51.1 percent of meat imports, saw a substantial rise in volume, up 65.3 percent from 42.61 million kilograms in January 2024 to 70.45 million kilograms. Chicken imports also spiked by 48.1 percent, reaching 45.63 million kilograms, while beef imports climbed by 51 percent, totaling 19.9 million kilograms.
Jess Cham, president emeritus of the Meat Importers and Traders Association, attributed the rise in pork and chicken imports to high domestic meat prices, particularly for pork, which remain uncompetitive due to the continuing threat of African swine fever (ASF). Expensive domestic pork has pushed consumers toward more affordable alternatives like chicken and beef. As of mid-March this year, pork prices in Metro Manila range from P340 to P470 per kilogram, while frozen chicken sell between P160 and P240 per kilogram. Beef prices have also risen, with beef rump selling for P400 to P510 per kilogram.
Despite efforts to boost local production, the Department of Agriculture (DA) projects a pork output of only 1.15 million tons this year, far from the peak of 1.73 million tons in 2019. Cham said that unless domestic producers recover from ASF and return to competitive pricing, imports will likely continue to increase.
The drop in buffalo and turkey imports further highlights changing consumer demand. Buffalo imports fell 63.2 percent, and turkey imports plummeted by 94.2 percent. Conversely, lamb imports increased by 40.28 percent, and duck imports decreased by 25.3 percent, signaling shifts in consumer tastes and market trends.
With a growing reliance on imports to meet demand, the Philippine meat industry faces continued challenges in balancing local production with consumer pricing expectations, leaving the door open for more foreign supply in the months to come.
